The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-01-08
CASTLE ETITnICK.
An Old Soldiers Love
Story.
CHAPTER /
NHtI I-it i
COLONEL. LYNDON AND HIS FRIENDS.

moment.
"In what way? Cannot You particularize
little>"
But there are SO many ways, said Lady
Flora Winstanley, with smile. TO be-
gin with, be is remarkable looking, fine
man. tall well built, muscular, would pass
muster anywhere. Then-but / SIN sure
you viii laugh"
81 promise to be serious"
He is as simple as child"
sin your opinion. Flora
There, William. l knew You would say
that"
well, never mind. Go on. What else2"
Il don't think I shall tell you anything
more, You will soon see him for your
self
Then he has accepted your invitation"
Yes; he will arrive, ! hope. the day after
Tomorrow"
And Miss Morrison and 8Iilly2'
II wrote to the Colonel about them yes
terday. Most likely they will travel to-
gether.
The scene of the above little dialogue
was the terrace iii front Of Castle Ettrlck,
and the speakers were Mr.. Winstanley, one
of the largest landed proprietors in pic
turesgue northern county, and his wife,
Lady Flora Winstanley The time was the
forenoon of lovely day in July.
There is nothing but fishing now, re-
marked Mr.. Ninstanley, mednatively, "or
driving. Does he know the country-the
Colonel, j mean?"
"Oh, yes! He used to stay ut the Mac
kenzies years ago. They are almost ridic-
ulous about him. The old General says it
is thousand pities he has left the army,
and that there is not such another
soldier in England. But don't trouble
Yourself William. Colonel Lyndon is
not one of those men who require
amusing. Leave him 10 gang his ain
gait, as our neighbors here would say, and
he will be perfectly happy. By-the-by, l
suppose you know thata visitor is expected
at Deep Deane|"
Know" cried Mr.. Winstanley. L
should think there is not a single soul
within fifty miles of this that doesn't know.
The whole neighborhood is on the tiptoe
of expectation. IL have been asked one
question ON the subject / have certainly
had to answer hundred. And the bust
ness-I never saw anything ike it. Houses
are being decorated, old games furnished
mp, lawn-.ennis and croqust grounds set in
order; estimable matrOns of every degree
are drawing their families about them.
Ned This wants change of air; Dick That
hasn't had a holiday for time untold; and
Jack The other, poor ladi-"
Don't be so cynical, William inter
rupted Lady Flora. of course we are all
ready to welcome a stranger, especially one
who comes from so great q distance; and
if We wish to make things pleasant for her,
IS that any subject for ridicule? For my
own part. [ am sorry that oar house is not
little brighter just now. Percy being
away makes such a difference.
Every difference, SAID Mr. Wlnstanley,
with a laugh. We'll, she has not arrived
yet. BY the way, she will be travelling
about the same time as our people. II
would be curious if they met.
GLOW should they meet?" returned Lady
Flora. Laughing at her husband for his
absurd digestion, she went of to heI
morning occupations, one or which was to
choose room with a comfortable aspect
for Colonel Lyndon. and to give orders fol
tire due and proper amount of cleaning,
airiug, and dainty decoration. to make the
room worthy of so welcome a guest.
Lady Flora Winstanley. who was one oil
the many daughters of q Scotch Earl, who
had married wisely when she was girl
and who had lived long enough to see he1
eldest daughter n wife and mother, and hel
only son a military officer in the service OF
her Majesty, was a shrewd and capable
woman of the world.
She was not without kindliness, for she
had done many a generous deed in hel
time; but the circumstances of her life
helped by a certain prudence of character
inherited from a long hus OF prudent an
cestors, had made her prac .ical rather thar
sentimental, keen of scent and eye where
the interests of her family were concerned
and hard toward those who ventured to OPP
pose them, or who undesignedly stood il
their way.
That she would have spoken Of herself
as selfish or worldly is improbable. She
had a certain position to keep up and not
too much "siller" to keep it up on, anC
therefore she was bound to be careful
Neither she, nor her husband, nor her son
when he was at home, could live-at least
so she supposed-Without entertaining OF
being entertained, or pursuing some of tie
costly and laborious amusements which
make rich men and women old before
their time; and since the property was not
nearly so productive as it had been. it was
necessary for her to look well to the ways
OF her household, and especially to those
of her two unmarried children. Percy ant
Mildred. To plan for the future, and pro.
vide, so far as in her lay, for the continued
prosperity and dignity of her family
what was 1t, after all, but right and proper
fulhllment of the scriptural injunction Il
care for those of her own household?
At the time when Lady Flora and bel
husband were talking over their expected
visitor they had but recently arrived al
their Scotch home on the moors. They had
travelled northward q little earlier than
usual, being anxious TO economic aftel
the expenses of the London season, which
had been usually brilliant. Lady Flora was
fond of the country, and she thought the
complete rest wotld do her good, while Mr.
Winstanley, who did not do the season
so faithfully as his wife, was always glad OF
q quiet week on the lochs and streams OF
EttIick.
For the moment they We're quite alone,
Lady Flora having arranged TO leave hel
Youngest daughter, Mildred, in London
with her governess, TO finish n course OF
singing and music lessons; while Mrs
Wilson, her eldest daughter, whose hus-
band was a barrister, in tolerably brisk
though rs yet not very profitable practice
was not due at the Castle until the middle
of August. Percy, Lady Flora's only so1
and eldest child, the JOY and pride of hel
heart, had babe her good-by in London
Tor an indefinite period, his regiment hay-
ing been ordered abroad.
The complete rest, although at first mos
charming and refreshing, began, after &
few days, to become wearisome to Lady
Flora, and she longed for the moment when
the Castle would I'LL with its autumn guests
Ii was when she was casting about in her
mind for visitors to ill up the dreary blanl
between the date of their arrival at Castle
Ettrick and the 18th Of August, which hap
Ply day would bring the usual batch OF
shooting men, with their wives aud daugh.
tiers, 10 make the old house gay. that sh,
thought of her friend Colonel Lyndon. o,
High Cliffe, and TO him she wrote. begging
IL her graceful way, that he would tax,
pity on the loneliness of n pair of solitar,
old people, and give them the pleasure o
his company at Castle Ettrick.
Tie invitation arrived at happy mo.
ment, and was Immediately and gratefully
accepted. The Colonel fixed a near da,
Tor his visit, and set himself at once 4
make arrangements for his journey.
Colonel Lyndon and Lady Flora Win
stanley We're friends of old standing. Ii,
was her Junior, though not by many years
they had spent some months of their ycutl
a near n.Ighbors; and the time had been
he was then q mere boy, and she beautiful
woman. Just beginning to feel her owl
power-Vhen be mad Thought of her with
Very lender record s-ss -, ,-o.,.y,